{"id":205308,"date":"2024-02-09T14:59:22","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T14:59:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/09\/can-ai-help-maximize-your-credit-card-rewards-we-turned-to-chat-gpt-to-find-out\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:21:57","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:21:57","slug":"can-ai-help-maximize-your-credit-card-rewards-we-turned-to-chat-gpt-to-find-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/09\/can-ai-help-maximize-your-credit-card-rewards-we-turned-to-chat-gpt-to-find-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Can AI help maximize your credit card rewards? We turned to Chat GPT to find out."},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s no question that earning and spending credit card rewards has become far more complicated in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Case in point, while planning a simple eight-day trip to Portland, I took all of the following steps to ensure that I was maximizing the current suite of cards in my wallet:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Moved my Chase Ultimate Rewards points from my <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/chase-freedom-unlimited-review\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">Freedom Unlimited<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/chase-freedom-flex-credit-card-review\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">Freedom Flex<\/a> accounts onto my <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/chase-sapphire-preferred-review\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">Sapphire Preferred<\/a> account so that my points would have 25% more value when booking through the Chase travel portal.<\/li>\n<li>Cross-checked the cost in points to book a Delta flight through the Chase Travel Portal, Capital One Travel and Citi Travel \u2013 as well as current point-to-mile transfer ratios to see which overall option was cheapest.<\/li>\n<li>Applied for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card in order to score instant status and a three-night welcome bonus (after $3k worth of spending) to cover the first chunk of my hotel stay.<\/li>\n<li>Split the rest of the hotel bill between my <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/citi-premier-card-review\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">Citi Premier<\/a> card to score a $100 statement credit and my Chase Sapphire Preferred (CSP) to score a $50 statement credit (yes, the front desk thought I was nuts).<\/li>\n<li>Booked my rental car using my CSP instead of my Citi Premier \u2013 because even though the Premier offers 3X on travel, the CSP offers 2X worth 2.5X towards travel <em>plus <\/em>a free Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Phew.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>All told, my calculated approach saved me over $1,000+ but the time and effort involved felt like planning the Normandy invasion. Plus, I certainly wouldn\u2019t expect the average person with limited time, energy and obsession with credit card rewards to spend hours finding the most point-efficient path forward.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In other words, I doubt that many others spend their Sunday afternoons poring over points, statement credits and transfer ratios while The Price is Right echoes in the background.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:800px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:62.5%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_e6365d.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does AI provide another way?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>That\u2019s why my colleagues and I started wondering: Is rewards management something you can outsource to AI? Can an algorithm like ChatGPT advise you on things like:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How to spend your credit card rewards points?<\/li>\n<li>Which card you should use to book certain travel categories, like hotels?\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>What your credit card points are worth in real-world value?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And finally, can an AI advise you on how to book a vacation based on the current cards you have in your wallet?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Such abilities don\u2019t seem outside the realm of possibility for AI. After all, AI algorithms tend to base their answers off of data scraped from the internet \u2013 and there\u2019s certainly no shortage of blog posts, fact sheets, reviews and Reddit discussions about virtually every rewards card on the market.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So to find out if robots could help us, I had a literal conversation with the most recent version of OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT, GPT-3.5, to test its \u201cknowledge\u201d of credit card rewards. The paid version (GPT-4.0) is slightly newer, but I wanted to approach this from the perspective of an everyday credit card user who probably isn\u2019t paying a subscription.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On that note, I\u2019m also not an AI Prompt Engineer. Thanks to various TEDx Talks I\u2019ve grown to appreciate that there\u2019s a special \u201cway\u201d to speak to AI for optimal results\u2014and for my part, I really only know the basics (be clear, specific, etc.).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So like Domhnall Gleeson in the movie <em>Ex Machina<\/em>, I\u2019ll be approaching my first major encounter with AI like a normal, everyday guy: curious, excited and keen for answers to life\u2019s biggest questions:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:647px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:77.27975270479135%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/image_1ff4de.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>So without further ado, let\u2019s start the interview.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can an AI tell you how to spend your credit card points?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>To break the ice on my date with ChatGPT, I gave it a softball question: what\u2019s the best way to spend Chase Ultimate Rewards points?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You can see its response below. First impressions were good \u2013 seemingly pulling data from Chase.com itself, our AI friend was keenly aware that the Chase Sapphire Preferred\/Reserve cards offer a nice bonus multiplier when redeeming points for travel (1.25X and 1.5X, respectively).\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:702px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:145.86894586894587%\"\/><img alt=\"Chat GPT answer about how to spend credit card rewards\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"Chat GPT answer about how to spend credit card rewards\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-1-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>So far, I\u2019d say ChatGPT is passing the Turing test\u2014meaning if I got this answer in an email, I wouldn\u2019t be able to tell you whether it was written by an AI or by someone else at Fortune Recommends.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve warmed up the servers, let\u2019s try a tougher question.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can an AI tell you which card is better for use on certain spending categories (e.g. hotels)?\u00a0\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Next, it\u2019s time to test GPT-3.5\u2019s knowledge of travel rewards. Which card does it recommend for specifically hotel stays: the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/credit-cards\/venture\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">Capital One Venture Rewards<\/a>?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what Wi-Fi WALL-E had to say:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:702px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:145.86894586894587%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/chat-gpt-2-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Overall, I was a little less impressed by ChatGPT\u2019s answer this time around.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Credit where credit\u2019s due, Chase <em>does <\/em>have a slightly better selection of hotel transfer partners (IHG Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt compared to Capital One (Wyndham Rewards and Choice Privileges).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, I disagree with the notion that the Capital One Venture Rewards offers more \u201csimplicity and flexibility\u201d for travel redemption. In truth, the CSP offers 5X on all travel booked through Chase while the Venture card only offers 5X on hotels and rental cars.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But hey, maybe that one\u2019s on me. Maybe I could\u2019ve phrased the question a little better to solicit a more helpful and conclusive answer. So I gave it a second try, clarifying to ChatGPT that I wanted the best card for <em>booking <\/em>hotels, not redeeming points for them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, my reframing of the question seemed to flummox our friendly neighborhood robot even more, resulting in a boilerplate description of both cards:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:707px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:144.978783592645%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-3-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Once again, I do have to give ChatGPT credit for providing a helpful and cohesive string of information \u2013 even if it didn\u2019t answer the original question.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Three questions in and we\u2019re getting mixed results. The AI seems to know how to spend rewards points effectively, but struggles to compare two cards directly (at least, with the limited prompts I\u2019ve given it thus far).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But let\u2019s change the subject a bit and see if ChatGPT can help us with another tedious and confusing part of redeeming credit card points: assigning a value to them.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can an AI tell you what your credit card points are worth?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>The days are long gone when credit card points were worth a penny each. Now they can be worth anywhere from 0.2 cents (as is the case when converting IHG One Rewards to Delta SkyMiles) all the way up to 2.8 cents (when converting AmEx points to ANA Mileage Club).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Most banks are pretty upfront about point values\u2014but only if the point values are <em>above <\/em>a penny each. When they\u2019re worth less, their weak cash value is often buried in the terms and conditions.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why it would be mighty helpful if our AI assistant could tell us what our points are worth, on average, before we mistakenly redeem them for poor value (or apply for the wrong card in the first place). So let\u2019s ask:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:816px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:125.49019607843137%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-4-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Not bad, ChatGPT, not bad!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Presumably, the algorithm pooled together estimates from multiple personal finance sites to find an overall average. I\u2019m also impressed how it\u2019s able to provide value estimates by category, giving us the heads up that we\u2019re probably best off redeeming our AmEx points for travel (<a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/why-i-like-my-amex-platinum-card-how-i-use-it\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">which is 100% true<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now let\u2019s see how well it does with hotel points, such as the Marriott Bonvoy points you\u2019ll earn with the excellent Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:978px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:104.7034764826176%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-5-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>Again, a solid and helpful response. ChatGPT knows that your redemption values start to fall as you look at Category 7s and 8s like the Ritz-Carlton. More pertinently, it knows that the secret to spending Marriott Bonvoy points is to book during off-peak pricing whenever possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So far, ChatGPT seems great at:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Giving you the highlights of a rewards card you might be considering<\/li>\n<li>Estimating the cash value of certain rewards points<\/li>\n<li>Offering suggestions on how to redeem your points for maximum value<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It seems less effective at comparing the merits of two distinct rewards cards, but hey, we can just keep doing that on our own.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Now for the final exam.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can AI help you plan a vacation <em>around <\/em>what cards are in your wallet?\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>Naturally, there are tons of ways I could ask this question. And since ChatGPT-3.5 is free, I\u2019d encourage you to go try a few combinations yourself.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But in my case, even my very first attempt at a prompt resulted in a rather intriguing\u2014and revealing\u2014 answer from our AI friend:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:659px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:155.38694992412746%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-gpt-6-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>The most impressive part of this response is that ChatGPT seemingly knows that the Chase Sapphire Preferred has travel insurance and the Citi Premier doesn\u2019t. That may seem like a minor footnote, but it\u2019s a distinction that could save you up to $20,000 per trip.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m also a fan of the General Tips the AI provided, which could also be huge time- and money-savers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But keen-eyed credit card nerds will notice something\u2026 <em>off\u2026 <\/em>about this response. The AI didn\u2019t mention any statement credits, and more tellingly, it got the Citi Premier card\u2019s reward categories totally wrong. According to Citi, the card gets 3X on dining, not 2X,  and there\u2019s no rewards category for \u201cEntertainment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So where did ChatGPT get this information?\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The massive caveat to all this: ChatGPT\u2019s data is old<\/h2>\n<p>ChatGPT may pull data from every corner of the internet, but it\u2019s not <em>today\u2019s <\/em>internet. It\u2019s an archive from January, 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:1024px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:43.5546875%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-7-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>To the AI\u2019s credit, if you ask about something current it\u2019ll often warn you of this limitation:\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\" style=\"margin:auto;max-width:1024px\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative\"><span style=\"box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;padding-top:51.26953125%\"\/><img alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover;background-size:cover;background-position:0% 0%;filter:blur(20px);background-image:url(&quot;data:image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAYAAAAfFcSJAAAADUlEQVR42mO8fv1mPQAIHAMIsIR6agAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==&quot;)\"\/><noscript><img alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"responsive\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover\" sizes=\"100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=320&amp;q=75 320w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=480&amp;q=75 480w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=576&amp;q=75 576w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=768&amp;q=75 768w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=1024&amp;q=75 1024w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=1280&amp;q=75 1280w, https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75 1440w\" src=\"https:\/\/content.fortune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/Chat-GPT-8-1.png?w=1440&amp;q=75\"\/><\/noscript><\/span><\/div>\n<p>So what does this mean within the context of using AI to spend rewards points?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Well, considering just how fast the credit card industry moves, it means ChatGPT\u2019s usefulness as a modern day assistant is limited. Without knowing the latest rates, fees, rewards, transfer rates, or even which rewards cards are currently available, there\u2019s not a whole lot of guidance the chatbot can provide without some degree of uncertainty.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You can always pay $20 per month to upgrade to GPT-4 Turbo, which pulls from data as recent as April, 2023. But even then, your AI assistant may not be aware of the latest and greatest benefits, such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/world-of-hyatt-business-card-review-an-obvious-addition-to-your-corporate-wallet-if-youre-already-booking-hyatt-for-business\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"sc-bd4ab706-0 dXixpY styledLinkColor \">World of Hyatt Business<\/a> card\u2019s temporary 75,000-point welcome bonus. So until we get an AI ravenous for real-time data, we\u2019ll have to settle for something that\u2019s helpful\u2014with an asterisk.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The final verdict<\/h2>\n<p>ChatGPT\u2019s ability to synthesize data from multiple sources, extract the most helpful nuggets and tie it all together in a cohesive, legible response is beyond remarkable. I threw it some moderately tough questions for this article and many of its responses looked like email responses I might\u2019ve gotten from a colleague (though wordier, and with fewer emojis).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But the chatbot\u2019s inability to incorporate data from the last nine months is a severe and subjectively deal-breaking limitation when it comes to offering credit card advice. With benefits and rewards constantly coming and going on a weekly basis, you\u2019re still going to need someone (or something) who can process that data in real-time, producing hot-and-fresh recommendations that can save you time, money and points.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So until the machines rise up to replace us, Fortune Recommends is here to help.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/recommends\/credit-cards\/ai-chatgpt-credit-card-rewards\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] There\u2019s no question that earning and spending credit card rewards has become far more complicated in recent years.\u00a0 Case in point, while planning a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":205309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[149],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205308"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205308"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":344573,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205308\/revisions\/344573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/205309"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}